Articles: emergency-services.
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Burn injuries among the homeless are increasing as record numbers of people are unsheltered and resort to unsafe heating practices. This study characterizes burns in homeless encounters presenting to US emergency departments (EDs). ⋯ Homeless burn ED encounters were more likely due to assault and self-inflicted injuries, and more severe. ED practitioners should be aware of these patients' unique presentation and triage to burn centers accordingly.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2024
Observational StudyChoosing Wisely audit: CT KUB ordering in emergency department renal colic presentations.
Our aim was to safely reduce unnecessary CT KUBs (kidneys, ureters, bladder) in patients with renal colic. ⋯ Audit interventions can reduce unnecessary CT KUBs in renal colic.
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Observational Study
Sepsis 3-hour bundle compliance and prognosis in emergency department patients aged 65 years or older.
To analyze 3-hour bundle compliance in for patients aged 65 years or older with sepsis treated in our emergency department (ED) and to explore the association between compliance and mortality. ⋯ Three-hour sepsis bundle compliance in the ED was associated with longer survival in patients aged 65 years or older.
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In Alberta, Health Link (HL) provides a 24-h, nurse-staffed, phone resource to the public for health-care advice. HL directs callers to either seek care in the emergency department (ED), with a primary care provider or provide self-care at home. This work aims to describe HL ED referrals prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ HL referrals to the ED represent only a small percentage of all ED visits. Based on our definition, most referrals by HL are likely appropriate. The COVID-19 pandemic does not appear to have altered the rates of calls to HL, the number of HL calls referred to the ED, nor the likely appropriateness of those referrals.
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Comparative Study
Healthcare professionals' perceptions of patient safety in European emergency departments: a comparative analysis of survey results.
Patient safety is a significant concern worldwide. The Emergency Departments (EDs) are vulnerable to adverse events. Europe, with its diverse healthcare systems, differs in patient safety. ⋯ Each country displayed unique safety concerns. Safety perceptions did not align with per capita healthcare expenditure, indicating that addressing ED safety needs multifaceted strategies. Policymakers can leverage these findings to inform strategic planning, encouraging targeted interventions to enhance patient safety at both the national and European levels.